Freaking out- bunny limping after neuter

[BubblemanBunny]

Hi everyone

I am completely freaking out right now. My WinWin is 4.5 months old and was neutered on Thursday, we brought him home on Friday with pain medication and everything was fine until an hour ago. I mean, he was a lot slower but eating, drinking and responding perfectly. I went to sit with him and noticed he’s limping!!!!!! He’s favouring his right hind leg and trying not to put any pressure on his left. It’s so painful to see, I’ve never had this happen with my other four after their spay/neuter. 

He’s in his own 8ft x 8ft carpeted area with nothing to jump on and lots of blankets all over for cushioning. I don’t think he could have sprained it or injured it. SO carefully picked him up so I can check on his stitches, everything looked fine but he was jumpy when I touched his left leg. I’ve been giving him his Metacam every 24 hours since Saturday morning since the vet gave him a long lasting pain medication already. 

I don’t know if any of you guys remember but I actually had another account (can’t seem to get into it again) where I posted for support in putting down my lovely Snowman a few months ago. We spent over $5k with MRIs, X-Rays and spinal tap just to confirm an odd presentation of EC. 

Let me tell you I can NOT go through that again. I really really can’t. Therefore I’m having a very real freakout right now. I already sent an SOS voicemail to my vet who will only be back on Tuesday but I can’t wait that long!!! 

What is happening?? Is he in too much pain? Could the anesthesia have messed with his brain and left him with a faulty hind leg? 

WinWin

My beloved Snowman

[Bam]

I don’t know if there could be bleeding or swelling from the surgical incision. I’m thinking of sth that could be putting pressure on the nerves to the leg. Does the leg/foot feel cold? Metacam (painkiller) wouldn’t mess with the brain.

Is he eating and drinking abnd toiletting?

[BubblemanBunny]

Thanks so much for your quick reply, the incision looks fine from what I can tell… No redness or swelling. The leg doesn’t feel cold but also not warm.. I don’t know, it’s hard to tell because he’s so jumpy when I touch it. 

I’m worried that being under for a while might have messed with his brain or his nerves or something! 

He’s eating and pooping fine but going outside the litter box quite often…. 

[LBJ10]

It could be a mechanical injury. As in, they pulled something during the surgery. Do his joints feel stable?

[Bam]

I doubt the anesthesia is to blame, I think that type of injury would’ve been evident right away.

The leg is supposed to be neither cold nor warm. So that’s good.

[Mikey]

Seconding that it sounds like they pulled something during surgery

[BubblemanBunny]

Hi everyone thanks for the replies, I’m sitting at the vets office right now waiting our turn. My regular vet couldn’t make it in – vacation – so I had to drive a bit out of town to get to the animal hospital that Snowman was referred to back when he had to do all the tests.

Pulling something during surgery didn’t even cross my mind, how the hell does that happen? Does it get better?

His leg isn’t stable but I think it’s because he refuses to put pressure on it, when he’s sitting normally he’s a little bit wobbly.

When I had to put him in the carriage this afternoon it was rough, I would go to pick him up but as soon as my hands touched his left leg he would freak out.

[Bam]

Accidents can happen while handling an animal, the surgery itself wouldn’t cause mechanical injury to bones or skeletal muscle. I hope you’ll get it sorted and that it isn’t anything very serious. Rabbit’s bones have good healing capacity, but pain relief is of course important, as well as splinting or casting if there’s a break.

We’d be very interested in updates.

[LBJ10]

An injury can happen while handling them or while positioning them before/during the surgery. Vets are usually careful, of course. But accidents do happen. I agree with Bam. Pain management is important. Bunnies can usually heal from injuries, but it depends on what it is.

[jerseygirl]

Hoping it’s something that will heal swiftly. {{{WinWIn}}} He’s adorable!

Did they use a leg vien at all to administer meds or fluids?

[BubblemanBunny]

Hi everyone, sorry for the late reply – it’s been a long day

Thanks again everyone for getting back to me. I’ve calmed down a bit, I was feeling so angry today thinking that the surgeon may have caused this but I know things just happen, it was just a throwback to my dear Snowman for me to see him with a faulty leg…

The vet examined his left hind leg and told me he could feel a slight grinding/ clicking in his joint. He said WinWin may have a slightly dislocated hip or a small fracture at the bone. I told him he was perfectly fine the day of the surgery, which he said they might have injured it when moving him around for surgery or when they went to give him his shot, maybe he knicked a nerve and that the clicking has nothing to do with it?

Apparently my only two options are to let it heal on its own with pain management or to do an x-ray (that probably won’t show anything) and have a surgery that will most likely cause more harm than good. He said it seems very minor but I’ve never dealt with this before so it seems really bad to me.

I’m not sure what to do… I think I’m leaning towards letting it heal on its own because I can’t imagine putting him through such a big surgery so close after his neutering… My worry is that the hip will heal wrong and he won’t be able to run or binky ever again!

AGH!!! I am so upset!

[Bam]

It probably will heal on it’s own, the problem is, as you’re saying, that it might heal wrong. That doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t be able to have excellent quality of life though.

[meridiian]

Came to this post/thread late. How awful you are little WinWin are going thru this. I feel for you and WinWin.

Really hope he isn’t in any pain. Hope that he heals naturally (and quickly) and with no side-effects.

Btw…The picture of Snowman is just gorgeous. So sorry for your loss.

Please keep us updated.

xx

[vanessa]

An X-ray would rule out a fracture?

[BubblemanBunny]

thank you everyone and thank you meridiian, it was a really tough loss for our family and we miss him every day..
@bam @vanessa the doc doesn’t want to put him under for the x ray so soon after his neuter, he said he’s almost sure they won’t see anything but even if they do, the surgery is so difficult on him that it wouldn’t be worth it for what he thinks is a minor dislocation.
I think I agree, I don’t know. It’s funny how I leave the vet’s feeling more confused than ever every single time.
WinWin is doing alright today, he’s much quieter but eating and pooping fine.
I got lots of kisses from him this morning after lying on the ground with him for almost an hour.
Such a sweet boy going through this difficult time

[Hazel]

How can it be “slightly” dislocated? It’s either dislocated or it’s not, there’s no in between. If it is, it needs to be put back in place, a dislocation doesn’t just fix itself. If it’s left out of place, the ligaments will stretch out and won’t be able to hold the joint in place anymore, at that point amputation is the only choice. So yes, I think an x-ray is very much in order here. Even if it’s “just” a fracture/break, it should be x-rayed to make sure it will heal properly on it’s own, if it heals crooked, they will have to re break it, if that’s not possible he could be crippled for life. Please, have an x-ray done.

The vet knows that this is their fault, and is obviously trying to cover their butts. He doesn’t want to do an x-ray, or even surgery, because he’s afraid of the whole thing making them look bad, and that you will hold them responsible and might even want this taken care of free of charge (which would be appropriate). So instead, he’s throwing some pain meds at you and hopes you will just go away. If you aren’t worried about paying for the treatment yourself, and don’t want to deal with their bs, I understand, but please take him to another vet who will care more about treating him than saving face.

[vanessa]

I agree with hazel…

[Jellis]

Not to bring up old threads, but I’m currently facing the same issue with my bunny (Obie). He went for a neuter on Thursday and came home with a limp, the vet said he may have noticed patellar dysplasia but would need an xray to confirm. He suggested giving him a week of rest to see if it gets better (it hasn’t). I’m taking him in either tomorrow or Thursday based on vet availability.

Did the vet figure out what happened to WinWin?

[Author]

Messages